FACT Theatre Company will present the first staged reading of Standing Tall, an adaptation of the book of the same name. The book is a compilation of emails, journals and creative writing based on people's different experiences of 9/11.

The Nov. 7 reading, directed by Laurie Eliscu, will take place at the ArtNY Bruce Mitchell Theatre Off-Broadway.

In 2013, New York author Lynn Manuell published "Standing Tall." The book is made up of various viewpoints of 9/11, ranging from workers near the Twin Towers, teachers, children, volunteers, military and pacifists, among others. "Each entry is immediate and not something viewing the event from the perspective of history, but from a need to reach out to others experiencing the same event at the same time," describes the author. Manuell was approached by FACT to adapt the book's original material into a play, which she has done in collaboration with director Eliscu.

According to Manuell, the focus of the script is to highlight the "communal spirit" that emerged following the tragedy. "As we have had nearly 15 years pass, this communal spirit that emerged has disappeared," she explains. "I wanted the caring that followed these events to be the focus of this script...We see every day how far we have moved from this place and I hope the play will help to remind us of our heartfelt response."